The Arena: Ch. 5
Chapter 5: Torrin vs Soy Breakfast was akward the next morning. Most of the contestants sat at different tabels, disgusted at my recent actions in The Arena. The only one gutsy enough to sit next to me was Nova. She placed her tray down infront of me and smiled. "Lived to see another day, eh?" she laughed. I quickly looked up and snapped,"It's not funny, Nova." "What's not funny?" she asked. "Actually...what was funny in the first-" "I killed someone yesterday..." I hissed. "So? Death is a natural part of life. I kill stuff all the time," she shrugged. "Yeah, stuff. Stuff as in animals. Not humans! It's different than hunting. When know your hands have just taken someone's life...it just feels weird-" "It's because it's your first time commiting murder. You'll get used to it...and you'll have to get used to it. Or someone else will kill you. These people don't care about how it feels to take a life, or care about mercy. They just want to survive. Got it? If you do what you did out there, with that black smoke magic or whatever, you'll be fine." I hesitated to reply...but she was right. If I didn't live, I would die. I nodded and she wrapped her hand around mine. "Win, okay?" "Okay..." I said, squeezing her warm hand tight. I could feel my face turning red, so I let go. Chaning the topic I asked, "Who am I fighting again?" Nova turned slightly and gestured towards a beautiful young woman who would have made any young boys drool. She was about 5'8" and had flowing black hair that was let down to her back. Her ears were covered with a pair of red headphones. Her eyes were a sparkling golden-brown and her bust was rather...large. She was model skinny and had a flawless face. She looked up from her eggs and glared straight at me. She had bags under her eyes and despite their gleamingness, they were red and sore. "Who's that?" "That's Soy. She was Eclair's best friend so...she probally hates you..." "Oh," I said, pushing my waffles around on the plate. "I don't know what her special abilities are...but I heard she's dangerous...you better be on your guard." I nodded then asked her my final question. "How do you know all of this?" "I, uh, do my research..." she said. With that she stood and walked away. "Good luck," she called. "I see...research," I mummbled to myself. ~ I got as much rest as I could before Mr. War came to get me. Dressing in my "Arena attire"- consisting of my sleevless vest, black pants and boots, with matching gloves- I headed down the block toward the towering circle of doom. I couldn't here the crowd as well; something was blocking there noise out. As I approached The Arena closer, I could see a giant, glass, transparent dome was covering the top of The Arena. A giant circle of hovering bleachers were surrounding the dome. "I see you've noticed the Dome Shield?" I turned. The Caller was waiting for me at the gates. "What's it for? I asked. "Well, the terrain you will be fighting in is....deep and full..." "Deep? Full?" "No more questions! No more! Just come now! Into the entrance room!" I followed her to the side gate into the dark cavern, except this time it wasn't dark. It was lit up and illuminated with blue light. A giant glass door sat infront of me, showing me The Arena's new terrain. Now I realized what she meant by, "deep and full." The terrain was the ocean. The entire Arena was full to the brim with water. That's why the dome was there. I looked down into The Arena. It was like someone had taken a giant drill to The Arena's floor. It was like a never ending pit. Suddenley a pair of golden swim trunks were thrown at me. "Change into those. You'll need them. And here." She handed me a pair of gold boots and a set of gold wrist gauntlets. "What are these for?" "The gauntlets leak oxygen into your veins, into your blood, and somehow to your lungs. I've never understood these new sciences...and the boots help you swim faster..." "Why would I-?" "Just put them on! You'll see!" The Caller left as I changed into my new get up. I could here the booming voice of the countdown streaming throughout this oxidized room... "3! 2!.....1!!!!" Suddenley the glass door disappeared. The wall just...dissolved. Water poured into the room and I was washed out into The Arena. I held my breath, but I couldn't do it long enough. I could feel my chest aching for air and I exhaled on accident...but my lungs were met with a burst of cool air. I looked down at the gauntlets...so they ''did ''work. On the opposite side of The Arena I could see Soy coming at me fast. She was clad in a golden bikini that really brought out her nice figure...and her hunger for my death! She was coming super fast now, hot ony my tail. I drew Olympic Bane and swung, but it was slow in the water. Soy dodged the blade's swipe, though it wouldn't have hit her. She chuckled and bubbles escaped her mouth. "You wont be able to kill me as easily as you killed Eclair, stupid boy." She swam backwards and brought her arms down. Sucking in her gut, she screamed. It was like getting your ears stabbed over and over and over. My ear drums burst and blood turned the blue water red. I screamed, though I couldn't hear it. So that was her ability? Super sonic screams or whatever? She sucked in her gut again and I put my hand over my ears. However this time, the scream produced a different affect. A misty pillar of cold burst from her mouth, freezing the water around my arms. Ice began to creep over my gauntlets. The frost began to squeez my wrist, putting pressure on the gauntlets. And then...they burst. The gauntlets shattered like glass and I accidentally exhaled. Choking for air, my lungs began to ache and burn. My vision became blurry and I lost all strength in my body. I began to float to the bottom of The Arena, which was a long, long, long way down... Then out of no where, I found new found energy. I could feel something flowing through my veins, similar to oxygen- but not it. My vision cleared and I could see that a misty black smoke was surrounding me. They smoke wrapped around my body and turned into daggers in my hands. I willed the smoke to put pressure under my feet and launch me up. I swam so fast towards Soy, she didn't see me coming. I sliced upward and cut her stomach. Blood streamed from her wound. Knowing I could beat her, I devised a plan in my head. I swung both smoke blades across her chest. She screamed, as if expecting me to slice her up. Instead, I sliced the strings off her bikini top. In an attempt to save herself from embarrassment, she dropped her guard to try to keep the top on. I saw my chance and said, "You wanna scream?! SCREAM AT THIS!" I sucked in my gut, willed my smoke to solidfy, and shouted. Smoke escaped my mouth and jetted through Soy's stomach. As the misty black gas evaporated, I could see a giant, bloody whole in her mid torso. She stared down at the hole, charred skin floating around in the water. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was drooling blood. She covered the hole with her hands and blinked twice. Blood began to flow quickly from her mouth now, like a scarlet river turning the water around her red. Suddenley Soy was motionless. Her body didn't move, except for her arms which flailed lifelessly as she floated to the bottom of The Arena. The end-of-fight horn blarred outside the dome and in the blink of an eye, I was standing on the dirt floor of The Arena. The dome was gone and the crowd was back in the bleachers, cheering on my second win. I could see Nova in the crowd clapping- but she was the only contestant who was. Across from lay Soy's dead body. This time it wasn't Mr. War who came out with The Caller. A tall, slender woman dressed in golden battle armor walked up. A large, gray owl sat on her shoulder. A giant blue blade was strapped to her side, glowing white. The Caller stared up at the woman who was exceptionally tall. "Librarian," she said to her, "please dispose of the dead contestant's corpse." She looked at me and smiled her fake smile once more. "Torrin, congradulations. You won the second round." "Ugh," I groaned. "Do I have to fight again?" "Fortuantley for you, no. But Miss Nova will be," she glared hatefully at Nova who sat waving at me in the crowd. I felt a wave of relief. Now I would be able to rest, sit in the crowd. I put away my katana and watched as Soy's body was sweeped out of the circle. I stared up into the sky. Nova had been right. I would get used to that...murder, I mean. Killing Soy was the decensetizing point, I guess.... I kicked off the golden boots as I trudged out of The Arena and into the midnight filled streets of Diabla. 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